Pressure has been rising since Australia’s social media ban for under-16s entered into force, and Brussels is keeping a close eye on how successful it proves, with the ban already facing legal challenges.
France had been spearheading a months-long push for similar EU action alongside member states including Denmark, Greece, and Spain — before deciding to strike out on its own.
Its lower house of parliament this week passed a bill that would ban social media use by under-15s, which still needs Senate approval to become law.
At EU level, tough rules already regulate the digital space, with multiple probes ongoing into the impact on children of platforms including Instagram and TikTok.
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has advocated going further with a minimum age limit, but first wants to hear from experts on what approach the 27-nation bloc should take.
